Upholstery unit



` June 24, 1930. A. H. ACKERMAN 1,766,969

UPHOLSTERY UNIT Filed May 1"?. 192s IN VEN TOR.

ATTORNEY Patented June 24, 1950 UNTE STATES Headed .12.; NT FFICE ALBERT H. AGREE-MAN, OF SOUTH BEND, INDANA, ASSGNOB TO THE STUDEBAKER CORPORATION, OF SOUTH BEND, INDANA, A CORPOBATGN OF NEW JERSEY UPHOLSTERY UNIT Application filed May 17,

This invention relates to vehicle doors and iarticularly to an upholstery unit therefor. The principal object of the invention is to provide a new and novel means for securing the free ends of a finishing tape to an upholstery panel whereby the mitered ends of said tape present a smooth and even joint.

rlhe further object is to provide an upholstery panel frame having an opening therein with a closure panel forthe opening, and a novel means for .attaching a finishing tape or the like to the closure panel.

il .further object is to provide a filler panel with a slot therein through which the free ends of the finishing tape or the like may be inserted so that the ends of the tape are unexposed and to provide an even and neat finish for the finishing tape.

A further object is to provide means whereby the free ends of the finishing tape can be inserted through an upholstery panel and secured to the rear face of the panel.

A further object is to provide an upholstery panel with a suitable covering therefor, and a finishing tape-or the like positioned over the covering, the free ends of the tape being secured on the opposite side of the panel so that the mitered edges of the finishing tape present an even and true 'line in the exposed face thereof.

The above and other objects relating to certain details of construction and methods of manufacture to be hereinafter described with reference to the accompanying drawing, and then claimed, will be apparent from the detailed description to follow.

In the accompanying drawing which shows a suitable embodiment of the present invention,

Figure l is a side elevation of the upholstery panel for a vehicle door, showing my invention included therein.

Figure 2 is an enlarged detailed sectional View taken on the line 2-2 of Figure l.

Figure 3 is an enlarged fragmentary seetional view taken on the line 3-3 of Figure l.

Figure 4 is an enlarged fragmentary elevation showing a portion of the upholstery 1929. Serial No. 363,763.

panel, certain parts being broken away to lmore clearly illustrate the invention.

Figure 5 is a rear view of a portion of the panel showing the means for securing the free ends of the finishing tape to the panel.

Figure G is a fragmentary view showing the slots inthe panel through which the ends of the finishing tape may be inserted.

In the drawing in 'which like numerals refer to -like parts throughout the several views, I have shown an upholstery panel frame l having an opening 2 therein which as illustrated in the drawings may be of considerable size. The panel frame l which is preferably formed from cardboard, fibre board or the like may if desired be of other material such as laminated wood, sheet metal, paper or other material and is preferably covered on its outer face with suitable material such as mohair, velour broadcloth or the like as indicated as 3.

rlhe opening 2 formed in the panel frame l is closed with a second panelelpreferably secured to the rear face thereof which may be of the saine material as the panel l, the panel el preferably being covered with a suitable upholstery material 5 which may or may not be of the same texture and color as the material 2l on the panel frame l, depending' upon the design and color scheme carried out in trie upholstery of the vehicle body. lf desired, the central portion of the panel at may have padding material 6 thereon to bring the central portion thereof substantially flush with or extending outwardly from the material 3 on the panel frame l, but preferably the padding G does not ei:- iend over the full surface ofthe panel 4; in order that there may be a depressed portion extending within the edges of the opening 2 to receive a finishing tape broadlace or the like 7, as is clearly shown in Figure 2. The filled panel t is preferablysomewhat larger than theopening 2 formed in the panell and after the upholstery has been applied to the panel Ll the same is secured to the rear face of the panel l as by stitching the saine as at 8 thereto as is shown inFigures i and 5.

The .finishing tape 7 is preferably stitched along its edges at 9 to the upholstery 5 and the panel l to properly secure the same thereto. As the tape 7 is used as a finishing member to add decorative beauty to the panel it is necessary that the saine be applied so that the same lays smooth and true and the edges do not bulge or form uneven seams or joints. Particularly at the mitered corners of the tape it is necessary that the same lie true and smooth and to accomplish the desired result I provide openings or slots 10 extending through the upholstery 5 and the panel l through Which the free ends of the tape 7 are inserted. The free ends ll of the ape 7 are folded on the rear face of the panel fl and are held in taut and smooth position thereon by means of the adhesive l2. The adhesive 12 Which may be gummed tape or the like preferably extends beyond the free ends l1 so that they are substantially covered by the adhesive which prevents raveling and fraying of the same and holds the tape 7 from pulling loose and Working up through the slots 10.

Heretofore it has been the practice to sew the mitered edges of a finishing tape to its support and in so doing it was necessary to turn under the raw edges before the tape was seWed which resulted in a bulge or projecting portion of the tape at the point Where a true, even and smooth seam Was desired.

By extending the free ends of the tape through the slots and securing the same to the back of the supporting panel in the manner above described, the mitered edges of the finishing tape present a true and even seam and greatly adds to the beauty of the completed upholstered unit.

rlhe upholstery 3 covering the panel l preferably has its free edges folded over the edges of the panel l and is secured to the under surface thereof. As the panel 4 is considerably larger than the opening 2 formed in the panel l the upholstery 5 therefor can be of the saine size and conteur as its supporting panel and have its edges trimmed even therewith. However, if it is so desired the free edges of the unholstery 5 can be folded over the panel l in the same manner as the upholstery 3 is folded over the edges of the panel 1.

Having shown and described the preferred embodiment lof my invention, it Will be understood that formal changes and details relating to manufacture and positioning of parts may be resorted to Without departing from the spirit and scope of my invention, the Scope of Which is commensurate With the appended claims.

That I claim is:

l. An upholstery unit comprising, an upholstery panel frame having an opening therein, a closure panel having a slot formed therein secured to said panel frame for closing said opening, a finishing tape securedto the outer face of said closure panel having a free end extending through said slot, and an adhesive tape for. securing said free end of said tape to the back of said closure panel.

2. An upholstery unit comprising, an upholstery panel frame having an opening therein, ay covering for the outer face of said panel frame, a closure panel having spaced. slots formed therein secured to the rear face of said panel frame for closing said opening, a finishing tape secured to the outer face of said closure panel having its free ends kextending through said slots, and adhesive tape secured over the free ends of said tape and to the back of said closure panel for securing said free ends to the back of said closure panel.

An upholstery unit comprising, an upholstery panel frame having an opening therein, a covering for said panel fr aine, a closure panel having slots formed therein for closing said opening, a covering for said closure panel having slots therein aligned with said first named slots, means for securing said closure panel to said panel frame,

a finishing tape seWed along its side edgesK on the outer face of said covering for said closure panel, said tape having its free ends extending through said slots, and adhesive tape for securing the free ends of said tape to the back of said closure panel.

l. An upholstery unit comprising, an upholstery panel having slots formed therein, a covering for said panel having slots aligned with said slots in said panel, a {inishing tape secured on said covering having its free ends extending through said slots, and means for securing the free ends of said tape to the back of said closure panel.

5. An upholstery unit comprising, an upholstery panel having slots formed therein, a covering for said upholstery panel having slots aligned with said slots in said panel, a finishing tape seWed along its side edges to said covering and having its free ends extending through said slots, and means for securing the free ends of said tape to the back of said closure panel.

6. An upholstery unit comprising, an upholstery panel having slots formed therein, a covering on the outer face of said panel having slots aligned with said slots in said panel, a inishing tape sevved along its free edges to said covering and having its free ends extending through said slot, and ad hesive tape secured to the free ends of said tape and to the back of said closure panel for securing said free ends to the back of said closure panel.

7. An upholstery unit comprising, an up holstery panel having slots formed therein,

a. covering for` said panel having slots ahgned Wlth the slots 1n sfud panel secured to the outer face thereof, a plurality of pieces of nshng tape secured adjacentto the side edges thereoi-l to said Covering and having the free Vends thereof extending through said slots, said tape being positioned on said Covering so that the mtered ends thereof form even joints, and a plurality of pieces of adhesive tape for securing the free ends oi said finishing tape to the hack of said closure panel.

Signed by me `at South Bend, Indiana, this 15th da)T of May, 1929.

ALBERT H. ACKERMAN. 

